Dealers will replace the rear seat-latch bolts.
Nissan North America is recalling model year 2014 Versa Note subcompact cars because the rear seat-latch bolts were manufactured incorrectly, reducing their strength. The Versa Note, redesigned for 2013, is one of the least expensive cars offered in the U.S. with prices ranging from just over $15,000 to more than $17,000.
Econobox or not, if the seat-latch bolts break, the rear seats may not perform as designed in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the back seat occupants of the four-door hatchback.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear seat latch bolts, free of charge as required by U.S> safety regulations. The recall is expected to begin August 12, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261. Owners can also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.safercar.gov.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
